Mats Wilander believes Jannik Sinner is among the top favorites to win the 2024 Australian Open and underpins one of the most critical shots he has improved in his game.
Sinner, 22, is in the form of his life after ending the 2023 season on a high note. The Italian defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the Davis Cup, saving three successive match points in their singles tie.
Sinner completed a double whammy on the Serb in doubles just a few hours later. In the final, the man from San Candido ended Italy's wait for a first Davis Cup title in 47 years with another rousing performance over Australia.
In an exclusive interview with Ubitennis, it is not Sinner's end to last season that has earned him praise from the seven-time Grand Slam champion, but his improved serve, which the Swede feels will take him to Grand Slam success.
"We knew that his game was there. We knew that he is always improving something small here and there. Now he’s improved something big because the serve in the men’s and women’s game is one of the most important shots in the game again."
Wilander notes that the serve has become a key shot in the game again. In the past 10 to 15 years, that wasn't the case on the men's tour. He opined that the versatility and variety offered by the traditional Big Four rendered it indecisive.
Sinner's improvement in that part of his game will make him earn cheap points and even match the serving prowess of direct rivals Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev.
"I should say again because there was a time when for Roger Federer it was important for sure but when Rafa Nadal was winning everything with Novak right there and Andy Murray, the serve wasn’t that important."
"They were physically very strong, they were very clever, they had no weaknesses in everything else and I think the way the game is going the serve is becoming very very important because you have to get some free points on your service game."
"Jannik Sinner improved his serve and that’s one of the hardest shots to improve and he improved his serve so much that he is suddenly as dangerous as Alexander Zverev with a big serve, Daniil Medvedev with a big serve."
Wilander has even placed the hard-hitting Italian in second spot along with Alcaraz in the list of favorites for this year's Australian Open. Sinner, who is the fourth seed, opened his account with a routine straight-sets win over Botic van de Zandschulp.
"I think that he is up there with the 4 favourites to win the Australian Open. The number one is Novak Djokovic 100% for sure. Number 2 for me is Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and then at number 3 comes Zverev, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, and Holger Rune."
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